Buckle.



PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

HII Ill 11:

Qtio'iinog S E. N. HUMPHREY. BUCKLE. APPLIUATION FILLED my 9, 1904.

1m: NORRIS "75125 ca, wnsmucrorv. n. c

Witnesses 562% Wa'f the locking lever in closed position.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE. ERNEST N. HUMPHREY, or NEW BRITAIN,TONNEOTIOUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRAUT AND HIN E MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OFNEW BRITAIN, CON- NECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

BUCKLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 9, 1904. SerialNo. 207,143.

No. 855,637. Patented June 4, 1907.

To (LU whom it" may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST N. HUMPHREY, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford and the loop oropening formed by the wire a. State of Oomlecticut, have inventedcertain I The locking lever B is preferably formed new and usefulImprovements in Buckles; j up of sheet metal, suitable ears I) as shownin and I do hereby declare the following to be Fig. 1, being bent aroundthe top bar of the a full, clear, and exact description of the frame toform the pivotal connections besame, reference being had to theaccompanytween the parts. ing drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

his invention relates to improvements in buckles or clasps particularlydesigned for use in connection with garment supporters such assuspenders, the objects of the invention being to provide a clasp orbuckle of this type which will afford a secure fastening, be easilyadjusted and in which the holding teeth will free themselves from theWebbing j when the locking lever is turned to its open I portion a, itstop bar constitutes a journal or pintle on which the locking lever ispivotally stead of providing a looking or holding arm extending on theopposite side of the pivot from the operating portion of the lever ashas been heretofore proposed, the holding parts or projections which areadapted to engage the web are struck itself and are located on the sameside of the pivot with the operating portion of the lever. In thepreferred construction illustrated in Fig. 1 of the accompanyingdrawings the holding teeth are formed by bending downwardly at rightangles to the operating portion of the lever pointed projections orteeth C. These teeth O extend. at substantially right angles to theoperating part of the lever and are adapted when the lever is in itsclosed or looking position, to penetrate the webbing of the suspenderand to project in proximity to the lower bar of the frame and in rear ofthe pivot of the lever, as shown in Fig. 7. Such holding teeth arepreferably of such length and shape as to penetrate the web to asuflicient degree to prevent the webbing from being deflected over thelower bar of the frame and, inasmuch as the teeth are located on thesame side of the pivot with the operating portion of the lever they willdraw out of the webbing as the lever is swung sition indicated in Fig.2, thus the points of the teeth are prevented from catching and tearingor holding the Webbing against being freely adjusted through the buckle.

The holding teeth or projections are arranged at each side or end of thebuckle so as to cooperate with the edges or edge portions of thewebbing, whereby not only is the con struction of the bucklefacilitated, but the engagement of the teeth is with that portion of thewebbing which is best calculated to afford the maximum strength, holdthe webbing in proper alinement and prevent undue wear and tear on theornamental portions of the webbing.

position and which will also present a neat appearance and be free fromthe objection of bunching the web to which it is applied.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts all as will be now described. andthe particular features of novelty pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a perspective viewof a buckle or clasp embodying the present improvements, the lockinglever being shown partially opened and the webbing in dotted lines. Fig.2 is a side elevation with the locking lever in its open position. Figs.3 and 4 are views corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 showing a modifiedarrangement of the holding points or teeth on the locking lever. Figs. 5and 6 are similar views showing still another modification. Fig. 7 is asectional view showing The body or frame of the buckle or clasppreferably consists of a loop member A to which one end of the webbingmay be attached by any suitable means. As shown in the drawings thisloop member is formed by a sheet metal portion a and a wire frame a theends of the latter beingsecurely and rigidly fastened together and tothe sheet metal portion a by having the latter bent around the same. Thewire frame a @1- tends at a slight angle to the sheet metal In thebuckle of the present invention, in

open to the pomounted, and the webbing passes through from the body ofthe lever will draw substantially straight out of the combination withthe frame having an opening for the passage of the Webbing, of a sheetmetal locking lever pivotally mounted on the frame at one side of theopening said locking lever being composed of an operating part andintegral web penetrating teeth or projections located on the same sideof the pivot with said operating part and project ing at substantiallyright angles to the plane of the latter at each end of the lever andremote from the pivot said teeth when the lever is in closed position,projecting in rear of the pivot, whereby, strain upon the webbing willtend to hold the lever in closed position; substantially as described.

2. In a buckle for garment supporters the combination with the wireframe, of a sheet metal locking lever pivotally mounted upon the top barof the frame, and having web penetrating teeth formed integral therewithremote from the pivot at each end of the lever and projecting atsubstantially right angles to theplane of the locking lever, said teethbeing so arranged as to project in rear of the pivot of the lever and inproximity to the lower bar of the frame when the lever is Obviously, theholding teeth may be formed in various ways and in Figs, 3 and 4 theyare shown as being struck downwardly from the body of the locking leverin the form of spuds E, this being a cheap and convenient formationwhere apertures in the face of the locking lever are not objectionable.

In Figs. 5 and 6 the ears F which constitute the pivotal connectionbetween the lever and frame are extended forwardly and their ends G areformed into holding points or penetrating teeth which in their locationand operation conform to the location and opera tion of the holdingteeth illustrated in Fig. 1.

The operating part of the locking lever it will be seen is substantiallyradial to the pivot and the holding teeth or points are removed somedistance from the pivot and project at substantially right angles to theradial plane of the operating portion of the lever. As a result of suchconstruction they webbing and a relatively short movement of the leverwill be sufficient to entirely free the teeth from the webbing, a resultwhich cannot be accomplished where the teeth or holding edge is radialor substantially radial to j in locked position whereby strain on thethe pivot about which they turn. webbing will tend to hold the lever inclosed When in locking position, the operating position; substantiallyas described. portion of the lever preferably lies parallel I 3. In abuckle for garment supporters the with the sheet metal portion a, of theframe combination with the wire frame of a sheet metal locking leverhaving ears at each end constituting the pivotal connection with theframe, said ears being extended forwardly and their ends formed intopenetrating points projecting at substantially right angles to the planeof the lever, whereby said teeth will be located remote from the pivotalpoint of connection of the lever and frame. ERNEST N. HUMPHREY.IVitnesses:

SADIE L. FINNIGAN, STANLEY PARKER.

and the holding teeth pro ect toward said sheet metal portion a of theframe and in rear of the pivot. As a result, strain on the webbing tendsto swing the lever inwardly or toward the webbing and consequently saidlever is held in its closed position and further strain on the webbingonly tends to make the lever held more securely.

Having thus described my invention, what i I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is 7 1. In a buckle for garment supporters,the

